The original handwritten lyrics to
Beatles classic “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” will go on sale in the United States on Monday and are expected to fetch up to
400,000 pounds ($780,000).
The manuscript, penned by George Harrison, includes lines not included in the final version of the song, which was first recorded in 1968.
The bottom of the page also features the words: “The band leader said he ain’t playin’ no more,” which auctioneer Cooper
Auctions said was a reference to the tense atmosphere in the
Beatles’ studio at the time.
Cooper managing director John Collins said the phrase could be referring to John Lennon or Paul McCartney, “because they both considered themselves leaders of the band.”
But the owner of the manuscript, who bought it at an auction in 1992, believes it is a reference to McCartney and his desire to leave the band. The Beatles split in 1970.
Also on sale at the Scottsdale, Arizona auction is a new score for the same song written in 2006 by Beatles producer
George Martin for the band’s “Love” show performed by Cirque Du Soleil in Las Vegas.
Martin is expected to be at the auction to autograph the score for the winning bidder, Collins said. It is expected to fetch 50-100,000 pounds, and the proceeds will go to the George Martin Music Foundation charity.
Other star lots include a baby grand piano owned by Lennon, the earliest known pair of signatures of Lennon and McCartney and a handwritten letter by Marilyn Monroe.
Beatles memorabilia is big business. Lennon’s handwritten lyric sheet for the Beatles’ 1967 live satellite broadcast of
“All You Need Is Love” sold in July 2005 for 600,000 pounds
(then $1.04 million).
